er in council
or at any time in war; but ever to increase thy authority. Yet will I
again speak as appears to me to be best. Let us not go about to fight
with the Greeks for their ships; for thus do I think it will end, as
sure as this augury has come to the Trojans desiring to cross, the
high-flying eagle upon the left dividing the army, bearing in its talons
a huge blood-stained serpent, [still] living; but presently it dropped
it, before it reached its dear home, nor succeeded in carrying it to
give it to its young: so we, if even we shall with great force break
through the gates and wall of the Greeks, and the Greeks shall give
way,--not in order shall we return by the same way from the ships: for
we shall leave many Trojans, whom the Greeks, fighting for the ships,
will subdue with the brass. Thus indeed would the diviner, who truly
kens omens in his mind, interpret, and the people would obey him."

[Footnote 400: Either flying between the ranks of the Trojans, or
between the two opposing armies. Compare Cicero's translation, de
Divin. i. 47, and Virg. AEn. xi. 751, sqq. (with Macrob. Sat. v.
13), and xii. 247, sqq. The event of the Trojan war proved that
Polydamas was right in his interpretation.]

But him sternly regarding, crest-tossing Hector thus addressed: "O
Polydamas, thou dost not say things agreeable to me: besides, thou
knowest how to devise other counsel better than this. If, however, thou
really speakest this with seriousness, then truly have the gods
destroyed thy judgment from thee, who advisest me to be forgetful of the
counsels of lofty-thundering Jove, which he hath himself undertaken for
me, and confirmed. And thou exhortest me to obey the wing-expanding
birds; which I very little regard, nor do I care for them, whether they
fly to the right towards the Morn and the Sun, or to the left towards
the darkening west; but let us obey the will of mighty Jove, who rules
over all mortals and immortals. There is one augury, the best, to fight
for our country.[401] Why dost thou dread the war and conflict? For
although all the rest of us should perish round the ships of the Greeks,
there is no fear that thou wilt perish, for thy heart is not persevering
in the fight, nor warlike. But if thou darest to abstain from the
combat, or dissuading, dost avert another from the battle, immediately
stricken by my spear, shalt thou lose thy life."

Thus then having spoken, he led the way, but they fol